Luxury Oatmeal w/ Banana Cashew Milk

Whenever I have a break from this blog, returning here and sharing a story and a recipe becomes a lot more difficult. Suddenly everything I write feels a bit stupid or I feel like I should have the most spectacular recipe to share. And if I don’t have that, I think it’s better not to share at all. But trying to be perfect and do everything perfectly is rather exhausting, and often totally unnecessary, as in so many cases things created by mistake, without thinking too much and in a relaxed state of mind are a lot more interesting. So here I am, saying bye bye to all the pressure I keep gathering up, and instead I’m welcoming more free-spirited creating to my life.

Easier said than done, I know. But to fulfill these words I just wrote, I came here with a recipe for an oatmeal. Ha! You read correctly. Recipe for an oatmeal! Pressures: gone for now.

But let me explain. A lot of people see oatmeal as something utterly boring and sad, but as a long-time porridge fanatic, I’ve always believed in its magical possibilities. For me, oatmeal is comfort food at its best: warm, creamy, and super easy to prepare. And there are so many ways to do it from sweet to savoury. However, lately I’ve been coming back to this one combination of flavors and decided to start calling it ‘the luxury oatmeal’, as it feels a bit special and I’ve been making it whenever I felt I needed something a bit fancier. And hey, it was time oatmeal became luxurious!

So what makes a luxury porridge? Cooking it in a way that it’s thick and creamy. Hiding sweet, caramel-like mulberries in it, and pairing it with this fabulous banana cashew milk, that takes the thing to whole other level. And oh yes, berries. Always berries.

Some of my other favorites for making oatmeal extra delicious:

– Caramelized bananas. Cut the bananas in half lengthwise, sprinkle with some cinnamon and bake in 400 F / 200 C for about 15 minutes.

– Oven roasted pears. Cut the pears into pieces, sprinkle with some cinnamon and bake in 400 F / 200 C for about 10 minutes.

– A generous spoonful of your favorite nut butter, either mixed to the oatmeal or as a topping.

Add oats, mulberries, water and oat milk into a small pan. Bring to boil, cover with a lid and turn the heat off. Let the porridge steep for 5-10 minutes. Add vanilla and salt and mix well. Serve with the banana cashew milk and some berries, if you like, and enjoy!

Banana Cashew MIlk

Cut the banana into a box or plastic bag and place in the freezer. Place the cashews in a bowl, add water and leave to soak overnight.

In the morning:

Rinse and drain the cashews and add them into a blender. Add all other ingredients and blend until creamy and smooth. Taste, and add sweetener or vanilla, if necessary. Store in an airtight jar in the fridge, if there are any leftovers.